We Found Love
by Malfoy11
Summary: Next-Gen/Deamus. Short fic about Dean and Seamus and how they find love in each other after the war.
1. Chapter 1

"Dad, hurry up!" exclaimed a small, brown haired boy as he jumped out of the car and began to heave his trunk out of the boot.

"Hold on, Shep, we have plenty of time before the train leaves," came Dean's amused voice as he watched his son struggling to carry a trunk that weighed more than this tiny 11 years old self.

"Yeah, but I know you and dad will take forever talking to everyone you meet, and I'm not missing the Hogwarts Express because you both were busy reminiscing," said Shep with a roll of his eyes.

Dean heaved the trunk and a smaller bag onto a trolley and started walking towards platform at King's Cross station. His son ran ahead, nearly tripping over his laces in excitement. As Dean slowed down to a stop in front of the barrier, he smiled remembering how terrified he was going through the barrier for the first time. That was nearly 24 years ago.

"Dad's waiting for us on platform nine and three-quarters. Race you through the barrier?" asked Dean grinning down at his son.

"Hell yeah!" came the excited reply.

"One, two, three…go!"

Father and son raced each other to the barrier and quickly passed through onto platform nine and three-quarters, where a scarlet steam engine stood gleaming in the sunlight.

Shep gazed at the platform in wonder. It was packed with parents come to see their children off. A variety of different owls were hooting out to each other and here and there, cats of all sized and colors were being carried onto the train.

"Dean! Shep! Over here!"

Turning around Dean saw Seamus waving at them to come over. Shep ran over to him as Dean got the trolley around and gave his husband a quick peck on the lips.

"So," said Seamus looking at his son, "Sheppard Thomas-Finnigan, are you ready for your first year at Hogwarts?"

"Of course he, Mr. Finnigan!" said James Potter, appearing beside them. "We've been preparing for this day our entire lives!"

"Yeah dad, James and I have everything down. We've already planned our first prank," replied Shep proudly.

As Seamus, Dean and Harry, who had walked over to them, started to laugh, a loud voice said, "James Sirius Potter, if I get a letter from McGonagall in the first week you're there, you better watch it!"

Ginny looked at James sternly as he quickly tried to school his expressions into something innocent. Shep followed his lead, because as cool as Mrs. Potter was she could also be very scary when she was angry.

James and Sheppard had known each other since they were three. Harry and Dean worked together at the Auror Office, while Seamus worked for the Department of Magical Games and Sports, so he frequently met Ginny at many of the Harpies press events. They had ended up sending their sons to the same pre-Hogwarts wizarding school and that is where James and Shep became best friends. It was impossible to separate the two.

A loud whistle broke up the conversation.

"All right buddy, time to get on the train," said Seamus giving his son a quick hug and ruffling his hair. "Have a great first semester and write to us after dinner. I know you're going to end up in Gryffindor like both of us."

Dean hugged Shep as well and whispered in his ear, "remember kid, it doesn't matter which house you end up in. Hogwarts is going to be your home for the next seven year. Make the best if it."

Once they James and Shep found a compartment, they hung out of the window to wave goodbye to their parents.

"Give Neville a kiss from me won't you?" said Seamus grinning, as Dean, Harry and Ginny laughed at the look of disgust on the boys' faces.

"Bye dads! I'll write you soon!" yelled Shep as the train started moving.

Once they were siting down in the compartment, James looked at his best friend and asked, "Ready, Shep?"

Grinning back at him, Shep replied, "Ready, James."


	2. Chapter 2

Seamus and Dean said their goodbyes to the Potter's and walked back to the car. As Dean got into the drivers seat and pulled out of the parking out, Seamus turned to him.

"I almost wish we were going back there ourselves. Almost."

Dean smiled because he knew exactly what Seamus was talking about. They had come a long way from being just two best friends at Hogwarts. As Dean continued the long drive home, Seamus turned up the radio, each lost in his own thought.

A lot had happened after their sixth year at Hogwarts. Dean had gone on the run to survive from death-eaters rounding up muggle-borns and half-bloods. He had starved, been tortured and seen people he cared about die. He had worried about his family constantly. He had woken up screaming every night from nightmares of his family getting tortured or murdered by Voldemort's supporters. He didn't know whether his friends in school were still alive. He didn't know what was happening to Seamus.

Then the battle happened. He had known it was coming. But that moment when he saw Seamus for the first time in a year, all else fell away, and only one thought remained. He was going to make them suffer. He would fight every death-eater in his way to protect everyone he loved, to protect his beliefs. To protect Seamus.

And that was the first time Dean realized how he truly felt for this best friend of seven years. He almost laughed out loud in relief when everything started to make sense finally.

One look in Seamus's eyes told him that he felt the same way. And so they fought side-by-side along with all their friends, for that very thing Voldemort never understood: love.

After the war, after Dean saw his family again, after his mother fell down to her knees crying because her son was back and he was alive, after the mourned those who had lost their lives, after the storm had settled, Dean and Seamus went for a walk.

He remembers walking around the lake while taking a break from helping with repairs for the school. He remembers as clear as if it were yesterday, Seamus breaking down and hugging himself, sobbing because he didn't know if Dean was alive that whole year and having to live the rest of his life without telling the man he had loved since he was 15 how he felt about him. He remembers putting his arms around Seamus and pulling him into a crushing hug as his on tears fell with grief and hope. He remembers sitting together in silence by the lake, looking over at the broken castle walls and thinking how they were all a little broken and that might never change but they were finally home.

Slowly he started to build his life back again. It was painful and at time a deep depression seemed to shadow all of them but eventually they started smiling again. Three years after the war he asked Seamus to marry and that was the happiest day he could remember in a long time.

They had bought a small apartment in Diagon Alley and started a new life together. Three more years passed when they made a decision that would change their lives forever.


	3. Chapter 3

Seamus was looking out of the window with his thoughts far away on Sheppard. He smiled thinking about whatever mischief his son and James would be up to and all the countless memories they would create through their years at Hogwarts. He was glad Shep had found such a good friend in James.

He glanced over and looked at his own best friend and partner. Not a day went by when Seamus didn't thank whichever Gods were listening for keeping Dean alive during the worst year of their lives.

They had come so far. They started of as best friends, then fell in love with each other, got married, and now had a son together. He remembers the day they met Shep, vividly. Seamus and Dean were having breakfast before leaving for work to the ministry when they heard an owl tapping on the window of their flat. Seamus let it in and untied the letter before giving the owl a few treats.

"It's from Parvati," he said opening the letter.

"Is it about dinner tomorrow night?" asked Dean, reading the Prophet.

"Seamus?" said Dean, looking up from the paper because Seamus hadn't answered for a few minutes.

Seamus's cheeks looked oddly flushed and his eyes were nearly popping out. "Seamus, what's the matter? What's wrong?" inquired Dean looking worried.

"I…uh…I had asked…but I didn't think…so soon…she found a…" spluttered Seamus looking positively frazzled.

"Love, you're scaring me. What did Parvati say?" asked Dean trying to take the letter from Seamus, but he held onto it tightly.

Seamus took a few deep breaths and look at Dean.

"Don't freak out on me, but I've been talking to Parvati about adopting a child," he said slowly without breaking eye contact with Dean.

Dean's eyebrows shot up as he slowly sank into his chair.

"I know we haven't spoken about it, but I've been thinking about it for a while and I was curious as to how we could, if we ever agreed it was the right time, go about adopting a child with magical abilities. Then I remembered Parvati and Dennis Creevey, run Grimmauld place for Harry and you know how it's a place for abandoned or orphaned children with magical abilities? Well so I, er, I asked Parvati if she could tell me what the process was like…" trailed of Seamus in a rush.

Dean was staring at Seamus and hadn't said a word.

Nervous from Dean's reaction, Seamus continued shakily.

"So um apparently it's a fairly easy process. We would both need to fill out an extensive form with details about our, er personalities and family background, financial stability and all that. Once our forms have been reviewed they match us up with a child but it's up to us whether we want to meet all the children there and see for ourselves. Usually that is how it's done."

"Usually?" said Dean, sharply. "What do you mean by usually?"

"Uhhh…" Seamus had turned red. "Well it seems since Parvati knows us really well, she uh, she um, apparently thinks she…well she…"

"Spit it out, Shay!"

"She thinks she found a child for us!"

Dean's mouth fell open as he stared at Seamus, stunned. After a few moments of pin drop silence, to Seamus's horror, Dean started to smile, and then he outright laughed out loud.

"Are you having a stroke?" asked Seamus panicking.

"Merlin, Shay! I cannot believe you spoke to Parvati and not me about this! If you wanted a child we could have talked about it. Don't get me wrong, I'm…I do want a family and there's no one else I'd rather do it with but there is a lot we need to consider."

It was Seamus's turn to look surprised.

"So you don't mind, you're open to the idea?"

"Of course I am, you dolt!" replied Dean pulling Seamus into a hard kiss.

They spoke about it for a couple of week and then decided to go visit Grimmauld Place and have a proper chat with Parvati. They were both quite nervous as they filled out the forms for formality. When they were done Parvati took them to the nursery. In the corner on the left there was a white cradle with a baby boy fast asleep in it.

She explained that his mother had died giving birth to him and his father had been killed by death-eaters because he was a muggle-born. The child did not have any living relatives left or if he did they could not trace them so he had been left in the care of the home. He was 10 months old.

Dean could see Seamus wanted to take the baby home but was not saying anything because he was waiting to hear what Dean thought. He signed and looked over the cradle and just then the little bundle stirred and looked straight into Dean's eyes and giggled, a little bubble of drool forming near his mouth.

And that is the second happiest memory Dean can think of till today. He felt his heart swell with a kind of love he had never known before for someone he had only just met.

Seamus saw Dean's eyes water and started to smile. They looked at each other and the pint sized little human in Dean's arms and a silent understanding passed through them.

"We are taking this little guy home." Dean said to Parvati, smiling from ear to ear.

"What name should I put on the form?" she asked, happy for the child and her two friends.

"I would like to name him Sheppard, after me granddad," said Seamus

"Sheppard…hm, I like it," said Dean grinning, "how about Sheppard Thomas-Finnigan?"

They finally reached home, had dinner, and got into bed.

"Strange not having him in the house, eh?" asked Seamus turning towards Dean on the bed.

"Yeah, it'll take some time getting used to. I bet he having a grand time though right about now," said Dean chuckling. "We did good Shay."

"I hope he blows something up, carry on the tradition ya' know?" said Seamus laying his head on Dean's shoulder.

"McGonagall's in for a rough time," replied Dean draping his arm over Seamus.

They fell asleep talking about Hogwarts, the two best friends who found a home in each other.


End file.
